Peanut-huller



. 1,335,669. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

L. L. DUKE. PEANUT HULLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, l9l8.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

ZLJzziZg- L. L. DUKE.

PEANUT HULLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, I918.

Patnted Mar. 30, 1920;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 artozneqd UEETEE STATE PATENT (EFFEQE;

LUTHER L. DUKE, F EDISGN, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO B. H. JOHNSON, 0F DICKEY, GEORGIA.

PEANUT-HULLER.

eashes.

Application filer. February 14, 1818.

vention resides in the provision vo't' a huller selling peanuts and the like so as to tor sepa e. the kernels from the shells and is capabe of adjustment for etliectively acting on various sizes of peanuts.

lt is an equally important object of this invention to provide a peanut hnller wherein peanuts are fed thereinto simultaneously with the actuation of the machinein order that peanuts may be continuously separate-d when the machine is in operation.

More particularly this invention embraces the provision of a peanut huller remhodying fanning means operating simultaneously with the hulling means for separating the shell from the kernel so that both the shells and the kernels may be consequently deposited in separate receptacles.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a peanut huller of such a character that all of the parts are com partly and operatively arranged and designed to operate simultaneously with each other so as to insure an effective hulling and seiarating of the peanuts from their shells. Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited'the provision of a device of the character described with a view to compactness, and in which the parts are few, the construction simple, the cost of production low and the efliciency high.

Other improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement'of the various parts of the apparatus will be brought out more in detail in the description to follow, which for a clear understanding of the invention should be consideredin connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose or illustration convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention. It is to be noted in this connection that minor Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Serial No. 217,287.

changes in the construction and arrangenent of partsmay be made without departing; from the principle of operation of the various parts.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the awompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l. is a side elevation of the invention; 1 i Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section;

Fig, a is an end elevation;

is a detail of the concave.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts;

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings, there is provided improved supporting means in the present instance consisting of a rectangular, open frame and which includes a plurality of standards l connected at their upper ends by longitudinal beams 2 and transverse beams 3 and also email cted intermediate longitudinal beams 4 their ends with other and transverse beams f.

hopper 6 the upper end of which is pivotally connected to supporting .rods 7 carried by the frame while the hopper .is inclined and has its lower end resting on a shaking block 8 square in cross section and carried by a shaft 9 the respective ends of which are journaled in bearing brackets 10 carried by the upper longitudinal beams adjacent one end of the frame.

With a view toward providing improved hulling means a concave indicated. in its entirety by the numeral 11 is employed and consists of a pair of disk castings 12 rigidly secured'in the upper longitudinal'beams f2- beneath the feeding hopper 6. Each of the castings is provided with a central opening 13 while the lower portion thereof is provided with a series oi radial slots i lfor purpose that will presently appear. A metallic band 15 is shrunk about the periphery of each casting. A plurality oi grate bars 16 are now provided and each one is arranged transversely between the two castings the respective ends thereof being slidably positioned in opposed slots 14:. The improved means for adjusting these bars consists in. a plurality of set screws 1.? the threaded shanks 18 of which areadjustably mounted in correspondingly threaded air through the pipe .the chute.

the inner ends are swivelinfigly connected to the sides of the bars 16. f course by adusting the heads 20 of the set screws, the

' bars may be adjusted relative to the center of the disks l2. Filler blocks 21 may be inserted in the inner ends of the slots and prevent the passage of hulled peanuts therethrough.

, A transverse shaft ends journaled in the hulling cylinder indicated in its entirety by the numeral 23 is rigidly mounted on this shaft and rotates above and within the concave 11. This cylinder consists of a solid body 24 on the periphery of which is mounted a" plurality of suitably spaced slats or bars 25 which cooperate with the bars 16 in hulling peanuts. 'The adjustability of the bars, 16 of course permits of various size peanuts being readily accommodated in the hulling means so that they may be effectively hulled without being injured. An inciined chute 26 has its upper end suitably supported by the bars 2 beneath the hulling means and terminates a short distance above the longitudinal beams 4. 7

As intimated, suitable means have been provided for separating the hulls from the kernels. In reducing this feature of the invention to practice a fan casing 27 is mounted between the opposed standards 1 while an outlet pipe 28 projects therefrom and Ter niinates immediately beneath the chute The fan consists. of a shaft 29 journaled transversely in the casing 27 and on which is rigidly mounted a hub upon the periphcry of which extend radial fan plates 31. The rotation of the shaft of course forces 28, the air being drawn in through the center outlet 30.

Cooperating with the hulling and fanning means is a conveying means which consists of a chute 32 mounted in the supporting frame and inclined downwardlytoward the chute 26 and the outer end of the pipe 28 terminating in a suitable point beneath the pipe 28. The purpose of this conveying chute is to provide means for the separation of the kernels and shells, the former moving down the chute while the latter acted upon by the air through the pipe 28 are forced upwardly and out through the upper end Suitable means of course may be provided to receive the shells.

For the purpose of actuating all the parts of the machine simultaneously with each other a drive pulley 35 is carried by one projecting end of the shaft and has a belt3i trained thereabout which is also operatively connected with a suitable source of power not shown. Another pulley wheel is carried by the shaft while a belt 36 is trained thereabout and is also trained about a small pulley wheel 37 carried by the fan shaft In order to actuate the hopper 22 has its respective openings 13 while a' nections at so as to deposit peanuts in the hulling means a sprocket wheel 38 is connected to the opposite end of the shaft 22 while a sprocket chain 39 is, trained thereabout and is also trained about a sprocket wheel, 40 on the shaft 9. V

The mode of operation of the present invention may be reviewed asv follows:

Assuming that the parts have been assembled in the manner described rotary motion is imparted to the main shaft 22 by the belt '34: which operates about the drive pulley 35. The cylinder 23 of course rotates with the shaft 22 while the slats or bars 25 cooperate with the grate bars 16 in producing a crushing action on which are deposited by the feeding means. During this actuation owing to the-sprocket wheels 38 and l0 on the shafts 22 and 9 and the chain 39 which operates. thereabout, the block 8 will be rotated to raise and lower the lower end of the hopper 6 or in effect shift the hopper so that the peanuts Will be deposited into the hulling means. The fan also actuates simultaneously with the hulling and feeding means so that when the shells and kernels slide down the chute 26 the air which is forced through the pipe 28 will move the shells up the chute so that they'may be subsequently properly handled in a conveni'ent manner while the kernels will notbesubjected to the action of the air but will continue down and fall from the chute 32 and be subsequently deposited in a suitable receptacle not shown beneath the chute 32.

Having thus fully described this invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: r

A peanut huller embodying a supporting frame, a concave mounted therein and iiicluding a pair of spaced disk-like castings, the said castings being formed with a plurality of uniformly spaced radial slots opening on their peripheries, the disks being vertically disposed and the slots being confined to the under edges thereof, rings surrounding the disks and closing'the ends of said slots, transversely disposed bars mounted in opposite slots of the two disks adjusting screws passing threadingly through said rings and being radially disposed in said slots and having swivel contheir inner ends with said bars whereby the bars may be adjusted toward and away from the center of said disks so that filler blocks may be inserted in the bottom of said slots. for the bars to bear against, and a rotatably'mounted cylinder disposed between said disks and provided with means for cooperation with said bars to effect a crushing operation as the cylinder is rotated. whereof I affix my signature.

L. L. DUKE.

In testimony ll i 

